Do this with me!

There is so much I want to talk about these days, but I don't want to dump it out in one post, so when I found this clever "Blogtember" post here, I thought some of the prompts would be perfect for me to write what I want to write about in an organized way. There are some that are awesome and some that I don't plan on doing. Write as you see fit! Send me links to your blogs at ash_princess13@hotmail.com or in a comment so I can follow along with you as well! 

Here are the rules:

1. There really aren't any rules. If you miss a day, you can make it up or skip it. The blog police will not come knocking.

2. I will be including a linkup option at the bottom of my post each day, so you are welcome to leave your links here for others to peruse, as well. 

3. You can still post other things every day, too. I plan to do normal outfit posts, life posts, around-Austin posts, and sponsor posts just like usual.

4. I'd seriously love you if you also include the "Blogtember" button (below) either on your sidebar or at the end of your posts, but again, the blog police will not come knocking. My main goal here is to get us all back to the basics of blogging, not to gain a million new readers (though I wouldn't mind that). 

5. Here are the topics. You can be as creative and awesome or as boring and bland as you like with these. Take 'em and run with it. Use creative post titles. Interpret each "prompt" however you like. There's no wrong way to do it. Have fun.

Tuesday, Sept. 3: Describe where or what you come from. The people, the places, and/or the factors that make up who you are.

Wednesday, September 4: If you could take three months off from your current life and do anything in the world, what would you do? (bonus points for fun photos from Pinterest, but don't forget to cite the source!)

Thursday, September 5: Pass on some useful advice or information you learned and always remembered. 

Friday, September 6: A story about a time you were very afraid.

Monday, September 9: Take this short personality test and respond to your results. (at the end, find the detailed profile of your personality account - click "click to view" under "You" and "self awareness and personal growth." You can even google your type and find more info on it!)

Tuesday, September 10: Describe a distinct moment when your life took a turn.

Wednesday, September 11: Share links to your favorite online shops, preferably with a few photos of your favorite items in each shop.

Thursday, September 12: Discuss ways that blogging or social media has changed you.

Friday, September 13: A self portrait

Monday, September 16: Write a public love letter to someone in your life. (It doesn't necessarily need to be romantic.)

Tuesday, September 17: A memory you would love to relive.

Wednesday, September 18: Only photos

Thursday, September 19: Creative writing day: write a (very short) fictional story that starts with this sentence: "To say I was dreading the dinner party would be the understatement of the century."

The story does not necessarily need to have a conclusion - you can leave your readers wishing for more!

Friday, September 20: React to this term: comfort. 

Monday, September 23: A "life lately" post. What you're up to, how you're feeling, how you're doing on your goals, etc. Bonus points for great photos!

Tuesday, September 24: Review a book, place, or product.

Wednesday, September 25: Write about a time you screwed up - a mistake you made. 

Thursday, September 26: Go to a coffee shop. Order a favorite drink. Write about what makes you happy and what makes you sad. Or write about anything you'd like! Bonus points for including a photo from the coffee shop. (I recommend downloadingOmmwriter and bringing headphones along!) *if you can't make it to a coffee shop, at least leave your usual space and write someplace new.

Friday, September 27: An anonymous letter to your Facebook friends. Be as snarky as you'd like. (but don't include people's real names.) 

Monday, September 30: Share a photo of something old. Maybe something that has personal history for you, that was passed down to you, and that has special meaning to you. Tell us about it and why it's special.

xoxox,

ash

where to go?

Here's some places that I really want to go soon!

Germany! I have no idea what this bridge and cathedral are or if they're actually next to each other, but it looked cool when I was looking up pictures. I have been literally dreaming of going to Germany! Not sure why!

Shenzhen, China! I still want to go here to teach ESL and I will soon! It looks beautiful there :)

New York! Pretty sure I'm finally gonna check NY for Christmas off my life list this year!

South America! Didn't pick a specific place of country because there are so many places that I would love to go!

I really hope I can travel more in the near future!

xoxox,

ash

a book and a song.

I started reading this book today and I think it is so good so far! It's about a woman who is reflecting about her younger years now that she's experienced life more. I believe both genders can and *should* read it, just flip all the pronouns that need to be. hahaha ;) So far, she has some good points on love and on the strength of same-gender friendships. I've been underlining some things, if you borrow my copy. I love books. They make me really happy.



Also, I actually paid attention when Justin Timberlake's "Mirrors" was on today in the car. It's cute!! Whenever I hear his solo stuff, I'm like, ah man! you should still be doing the "Bye Bye Bye" single clap (like you're making the talking gesture with your four fingers and thumb) dance with your NSYNC bros! buuuttt--this song may be initiating my conversion to liking JT as a soloist.

'Cause I don't wanna lose you now
I'm lookin' right at the other half of me
The vacancy that sat in my heart
Is a space that now you hold
Show me how to fight for now
And I'll tell you, baby, it was easy
Comin' back here to you once I figured it out
You were right here all along

I looked it up, and yep, this song is about Jessica Biel. Rightfully so :)

xoxox,

ash

PS. so wish I was in China right now. 

an analogy.

I've been thinking a lot about families recently. This summer, I've been back in my parents' house to save a little money since I was in Michigan/California for a month. Saving money and the time before I left for Michigan was great. Then I went to Michigan--I had a lot of time to contemplate where I want my life to go. I tossed around the idea of an LDS mission, and I think that's a no-go, but I will make my decision by early September. I don't want to go for the wrong reasons (wanting to learn a language for me, seriously!). I only have a little bit of school left, but I dread going back in the fall. I just don't want to. Every day in the spring, I would trudge up to the U, hating life, hating school and partially hating myself. That's not like me! I usually love life, like school and love myself too. So I started contemplating taking a semester off and I still haven't decided, but it seems like a good option--take a breather, get a second job, save up some money cause heaven knows I'm gonna need it because of cost of car repairs after my accident last week and also go to New York this Christmas, (that's on my life-list! 2013 seems to be the year to finally start checking some of those things off!) and go back to school in the spring. I don't know, just a thought. One thing being in MI truely did teach me though, was "Live in the present, try not to be so future-focused." Sure, I know I need a plan and I'm working to put one together, but I also need to focus on the now. the plan of now. I believe that was causing some of my unhappiness, and I was ready to take this new-found, refreshed idea back with me, knowing it would work wonders.

Then I came back. My family left the day after I got back for vacation in California. It was a fun trip. Toward the end though, something in me snapped. Beyond, "ok, this is too much family togetherness, I just need a break", to the point of me getting teary on my way to the airport (they weren't with me; had to come back early to help my cousin with wedding stuff) about how I was going to fix my feelings when I got home. It was the weirdest thing. The live in the now feelings I had felt a strong conviction for in MI were gone and I am floundering, trying to gain them back.

Well, I haven't told my parents about my thoughts in Michigan of what I'm going to do over the next little bit. I'm afraid they'll be disappointed. but, I'm wondering if my indecisiveness is having an impact on their treatment of me. They already are disappointed, but sometimes I have to forge my own way and figure out things for me because they don't live my life, or my disappointment in myself. They'll get over it, I know, but it is somewhat miserable in the meantime. so, this leads me to an analogy that I want to share:

Last weekend, I went to visit my dear grandparents and we went to a rodeo! If you know my Grandpa P at all, you know he loves horses and the other components of rodeo, so I was excited to go with him to one live, it's been a while! the rodeo in it's entirety was great--the part I want to focus on, though, is team roping. I have wondered this before, but this day, I asked my gami,

"Do you think if the first roper gets his job done and for whatever reason, the second roper can't or doesn't successfully complete his portion, the first roper gets mad at him?" 

Her reply was simple, but hit me like a ton of bricks.

"No," she said, "because the second roper is mad enough at himself for the both of them."

Whoa. Talk about profound. This was exactly what I was supposed to discover in the difficulties with my family over the last few weeks. Yes, they are upset at me, but even more, I am upset with myself, in the figuring-it-out process. That is why it has been so tough. Maybe even that's part of the reason why I've been thinking about the family I want in the future so much recently. I wanna be loved, not criticized so much. I need a very best friend in husband form (friends are wonderful, but totally not the same) who builds and who I can confide in. that is what I want the most. A confidant who I can tell anything to--hopes, dreams, fears, stresses. I place enough stress on myself as it is. I don't need more; I need a release, and that for me is talking. I'm the second team roper who hasn't been able to successfully tie the calf of school and life in a cool, neat knot. and the first team ropers aren't seeing the pressure and stress I take on myself, they just get mad instead of understanding that I messed up and I'll try harder and better the next time.

I hope I can convince them of this. until then, I'll keep improving myself, making myself better for what is to come. it is all about the process.

xoxox,

ash